


Either Shut Up or Leave

by Shane_for_Wax



Category: Mass Effect, Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-11 20:08:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 593
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11721651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shane_for_Wax/pseuds/Shane_for_Wax
Summary: One of the many chats Shane had with Jack back during the Collector Crisis, where Shane makes it clear what her 'goal' is.





	Either Shut Up or Leave

Shane paced back and forth at the top of the stairs leading to lower engineering. She rubbed her hands along her cheeks, feeling the scars there. Things weren’t going as great as she had hoped. Jack and Miranda were often at each others’ throats and eventually Shane had to put in a new rule: one deck apart at all times. 

The Commander had spoken to Miranda only an hour earlier. She wasn’t going to budge on much of anything. Shepard expected that from the loyalist. 

The Marine had all but given up on trying to wiggle through the cracks in Jack’s walls. The ex-convict’s mind was locked up tighter than Fort Knox. 

Boots finally took the Commander down the stairs. Lower engineering was decidedly dark but Shane knew it was easy to tell when she had arrived: she glowed like a fucking Christmas tree. She froze as Jack’s gaze fell upon her, the light pouring down the staircase reflecting in chocolate eyes. 

“Jack–” the Commander began.

“I have nothin’ to say to you, asshole,” the biotic quickly cut the woman off. Shane bit back a growl, crossing the distance between the two. She leaned her shoulder up against the wall to her right, folding her arms across her chest. 

“Fine,” Shane said. 

“ _What_?” Jack asked, narrowing her eyes. 

“Don’t say a word. I don’t care anymore. But I’m not leavin’,” the Commander clarified. 

“Shit, so you’re just gonna stand there?" 

"Yep." 

The answer made Jack pause. The hell was Shepard playing at? What was the point in just standing there? Jack didn’t ask, and Shane didn’t say anything further. 

Eventually Jack had drawn her legs up to her chest as she sat on her cot while Shane had slowly dropped to the floor, sitting almost Indian style there. Not a single word had been spoken for at least twenty minutes, if not more. Jack kept an eye on the silent Commander, her mind almost frantic in trying to figure out the woman who had traded Alliance blue for Cerberus black and gold. Shepard was an anomaly. And Jack hated being incapable of figuring out motives.

Jack opened her mouth as if to break the silence, contemplated a moment, then shut her mouth with an almost inaudible click of teeth. Shepard didn’t move. If it weren’t for the glow to the Commander’s eyes, Jack might’ve sworn that Shane had fallen asleep. Then again, perhaps the Marine could sleep with her eyes open. Jack didn’t bother testing the theory. 

An hour passed. Then two. Then three… Maybe Shane really had fallen asleep with her eyes open. But Jack wasn’t about to fall asleep herself. She shifted slightly, letting out a breath. The silence was neither comfortable nor uncomfortable anymore. It just… was. 

She nearly banged her elbow into the wall behind her out of startlement when she heard Shane’s boots scrape on the floor. She turned her head, watching the tall Commander climb to her feet. Jack frowned when Shane made steps to get closer to Jack. She almost snarled out a ‘back the fuck up’ but it didn’t reach her lips as the Commander pulled out a data pad. 

Quietly, Shane dropped it on the cot next to Jack’s knee. 

**_I expect nothing more than you are willing to give, Jack. Thank you for letting me dodge work down here. -Shane_ **

Before Jack could reply, the Commander was already halfway up the stairs. 

” _…Asshole_.“ Despite her insult, the biotic picked up the datapad, staring at the words for longer than she thought she would.


End file.
